pierce



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' J.- H. PIERCE. A

- GOMBINED DOOR BELL AND LETTER BOX. N0. 361, 48.

Pajcented Apr. 19,1887.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

N. PETER$, Photo-Liihographer, Wnllingtnn n. a

2 sheets slieet 2.

(No Model.)

J. H. PIERCE. COMBINED DOOR BELL AND LETTER BOX.

' irn mom W Patented Apr. 19, .1887.

WITNESSES? I zzoW I ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

JOHN H. PIERCE, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

COMBINED DOOR-BELL AND LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 361,448, dated April 19, 1887.

Application filed May 5, 1886. Serial No.'201,184. no model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. PIERCE, of Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and Improved Combined Door-Bell and Letter-Box, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description;

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my invention, taken on the line 00 ac of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a broken front elevation of the letter-box, bellstriking mechanism, and mechanism for locking the letter box, the gong being removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bellcasin g and mechanism for locking the letter-box in place. Fig. 4. isa detailed view of the upper end of the letter-box. Fig. 5 'is a perspective view of the escapement mechanism for operating one of the belbhammers, and

V Fig. 6 is a front view of the letter-box plate and casting for the same and the push-button. Fig. 7 is a detail view disclosing more fully the opening in the case, through which access may be had to the bolt by a wire or other instrument.

The invention will first be described in con-' nection with the drawings, and then pointed out in the claims.

A represents a door, in which is formed an opening, B, for letters and other mail matter. The opening B is closed by a flap-plate, G, which is hinged in the frame D, of cast metal, surrounding the opening B. The upper part of the frame D is formed with a cup, I), and with an aperture, D, to receive the push-button E, and'spindle E for operating the hammer F, for causing it to strike the gong G when the push-button is pressed inward, as hereinafter described. g

The push-button E is made of glass, hollow, and filled with a wooden plug painted with luminous paint, so it will be visible at night.

Connected to theinner surface of the flapplate 0 is the rod H, the inner end of which reaches through the door, and is provided with a hook, H, arranged to engage with the toe I on the hammer-shaft I when the rod H is drawn back by opening the plate 0. To

the hammer-shaft I is attached the hammer l and upon it is placed the spring 1 to cause the hammer l to strike the gong G a single blow when the hook H releases the toe I, to

indicate that letters, &c., have been dropped into the box J. The projection H is beveled at its inner edge to cause it to ride over the toe I when the flap-plate C is closed, ready to cause the striking of the gong G the next time the plate 0 is opened. The plate 0 is formed with undercut flanges d d, to receive sliding plates (2 (1, on which letters are formed, so that any name may be applied to the casting by inserting appropriately-lettered plates.

The letter-box J is made readily detachable from the door, and is formed with an opening, j, through which its contents may be observed. The lower edge of the box J is formed or provided with a metal strip, j, to which is attached the plate j, that partially closes the box J to retain the letters,&c.,therein, so that the box when removed from the door maybe conveniently used as a tray by the servant to deliver the letters to the members of the house- 7 5 hold. The strip j is formed with the recess or socket j", to fit upon the pin or stud at-' tached to the door,for holding the lower end of the box J in place. The upper end of the box J is grooved, as shown at to receive and hold the metal top piece, J, which is grooved, as shown atj, tofit upon the upper end of the box and give it a handsome finish, as shown in Fig. 1. To the upper central portion of the top plate, J, issecured or formed theprojection orlug J, the ends of which are beveled, as shown at a a, Fig. 4.. This lug is for locking the box J with the casing K,that is secured to the door A above the box J, and incloses the bell-striking and box-locking mech-. o

anism, 'hereinfter particularly described.

Various means for fastening the upper end of the box J may be used; but I prefer to form the casing K with an opening or clearance, in, at its lower portion to permit the projection or lug J to swing laterally into and out of the casing. The inward movement of the projection J into the casing K is limited by the shoulder b. When the bolt L is raised to the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 3, the 100 end of the projection J strikes full against the shoulder b, and (the bolt L being elevated) the saidprojection is given aconsiderable play in the casing. Within the casing K, at the entrance to the clearance for the projection J is placed the mainlocking-bolt L. This is held loosely in the staples c c, and its lower end is beveled, as shown at 0, so that when the projection J strikes it in closing the box J the bolt will be automatically lifted to permit the projection J to pass into the casing K, and when the projection J passes the bolt L it will drop of its own weight behind the projection, and thus lock the box J until a key is inserted in the key-hole (l in the side of the casing K, and turned to lift the bolt L. To adapt the bolt L to be lifted Lby a key, I form near its upper end a shoulder, c, for the bit of the key to strike when the key is turned. The lower end of the bolt L is shaped to form an inclined or beveled lip, e, that closes under the beveled end a of the projection J and the opposite shoulder, b, of the casing K is inclined to correspond with the opposite beveled end of the projection J \Vhen the bolt L is lifted to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, and the projection J is closed into the space it, the main locking-bolt L, when raised or lowered, will clear the end of the projection; but when the said bolt L is lowered to theposition shown in full lines, Fig. 3, the beveled end of the projection J is forced to engage with the inclined lip c of the main locking-bolt L, so that by means of bolt L not only the box J, but the main locking-bolt L, may be locked, so that without knowledge of the bolt L and how to operate the same the box J cannot be opened or removed from the door. For lifting the bolt L, I form in the casing K asmall almost invisible opening, 6, into which asmall wire may be inserted to engage with a shoulder, 1', formed upon the bolt, so by pressing slightly downward upon the wire the bolt may be lifted and the hook 17 thereof caught upon the lip i to retain it in elevated position. In order to lower the secret bolt L, a small wire is simply to be forced into the opening i to dislodge the bolt, when it will drop ofits own weight and effect its purpose.

The hammer F is attached to ashaft, M, journaled in a diaphragm or partition, K, formed in the casing K, and upon the shaft M is secured the pallet N, which engages with the teeth of the escapement-wheel O, secured upon the shaft 0, so that when the wheel 0 is revolved the vibration of the hammer F will be prolonged, so it will delivera succession of blows upon the gong G, in imitation of an electric bell. The shaft 0 is journaled in the said partition K of the casing K, and is adapted to be revolved by the rack P, (secured to the push-button spindle E,) and the pinion P, secured to the sleeve 71, placed loosely on shaft 0', with which pinion the rack P engages, as shown in Fig. 1. The revolution of the shaft 0, caused by pressing the push-button E, is communicated to the escapement-wheel by the ratchet f, attached to the shaft 0, and the spring-pawl g, pivoted to the disk Q, secured upon the loose sleeve 71. The back movement of the sleeve h, caused by the action of the spring It pressing against the inner end of the rack P, is independent of the escapement O and shaft 0, so the prolonged vibratory action of the hammer F is produced as often as the push-button is pressed, and this with the use of only the single spring It.

The spring It is held in a casing or tube, It, secured or formed upon the arm It", formed integral with the partition K, and the outer end of the arm R is screw-tapped, as shown atZ in Fig. 1, to receive the screw or bolt Z, that holds the gong G in place.

The rod or wire H is attached to the plate 0, preferably by the notched and pivoted plate h, attached to the inner surface of the plate, and the clamp'screw h, screwedinto the plate h, so as to clamp the rod or wire H at any desired position to adapt it to the thickness of the door, as will be clearly understood from Fig. 1.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The gong G, hammer 1, attached to shaft I, having lip I, in combination with the letter-box J, and the flap-plate G, hinged to close the letter-opening B and provided with the rod H, having lip 11, for operating the hammer I, when the plate is opened, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The letter-box J, provided with a projection, Jtjat its upper end, in combination with the casing K and means for locking the box to the casing, substantially as described.

3. The casing K, provided with a sliding locking-bolt and a key-hole, in combination with the box J, provided with a locking projection, substantially as described.

4. The casing K, provided with a niainlocking-bolt and a secret locking-bolt, in combination with the box J, having a locking projection or lug, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The main locking-boltL, havinginclined lip e, in combination with the box J, having the projection J with beveled ends, and the secret locking-bolt L, substantially as described.

6. The box J, grooved at its upper end, as in combination with the metal finishingpiece J, formed with the hollow flange j, to receive the end of the box, substantially as described.

7. The box J, provided at its lower end with the metal strip j and plate j, that closes the lower part of the box, substantially as described.

8. The box J, provided with a socket at its lower end to rest upon a stud, j, in combination with the frame K, or casing, and means for locking the box, so that the box may be retained securely in place and readily removed from the door, substantially as described.

9. The casing K, formed with the clearance k and shoulder b, in combination with the swinging box J and projection J formed upon the upper end of the bog-substantially I, and gong G, the rod H being adapted to opas described. erate the hammer-shaft, substantially asand 10. The flap-plate O, hinged to close the let for the purposes described.

ter-opening B and provided with the pivoted JNO. H. PIERCE. 5 plate h upon its inner surface, in combina- Witnesses:

tion with the rod H, the screw h, for securing HEBER S. IvEs,

said rod to the plate h and the hammer-shaft F. A. MANN. 

